FYI Those cheap Chinese i350-T4/AM4 nics on ebay work!
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It's been a while since the last person responded to this subject - so I'll ask another question: are these adapters compatible with std. Intel Windows drivers? What firmware is it loaded with?
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Hey, Keljian. I've been thinking about getting an energy efficient 4port network card and am wondering how well that I350-T4 Chinese knockoff has been holding up for you and if you've had any issues with since you've had it and how well it works with Pfsense 2.2.4 with the new 10.+ kernel.
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Now that several people have used various knockoff/clones for awhile, apparently they don't always last quite as long as the properly built ones…
https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/comparison-intel-i350-t4-genuine-vs-fake.6917/
Cheaper caps/filters/etc will always rear their ugly little heads somewhere :(
Going for the server pulls from a known in-country liquidator is the better cheapskate option IMO, just beware that there can be some differences; e.g. SR-IOV is disabled on dell models.
If you're spending someone else's budget aka buying for work, get it new. -
Hey, Keljian. I've been thinking about getting an energy efficient 4port network card and am wondering how well that I350-T4 Chinese knockoff has been holding up for you and if you've had any issues with since you've had it and how well it works with Pfsense 2.2.4 with the new 10.+ kernel.
Worked fine until replaced yesterday with a 10gbit card. No issue whatsoever, I migrated to using pfsense in a VM, so it was on esxi, worked fine.
FYI I converted to the Mellanox connectx-2, you can get them cheap these days and they only use 7w peak.
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FYI I converted to the Mellanox connectx-2, you can get them cheap these days and they only use 7w peak.
Did you got them working in 10 GB, 20 GB, or over a Switch in 40 GBit/s mode?
There are different models on the market with single port or dual port which ones you got? -
Call me paranoid, but a cheap clone 4 port NIC from china is the last thing i'd be putting into a firewall.
IMO these would be the perfect piece of hardware to stick backdoors in, as they will likely end up in western firewalls or servers.
But hey, they are your packets.
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Call me paranoid, but a cheap clone 4 port NIC from china is the last thing i'd be putting into a firewall.
IMO these would be the perfect piece of hardware to stick backdoors in, as they will likely end up in western firewalls or servers.
But hey, they are your packets.
Paranoid.
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Call me paranoid, but a cheap clone 4 port NIC from china is the last thing i'd be putting into a firewall.
For cheap home based firewalls it might for some persons a good deal, but for me personally I would
be also afraid of these chinese products related to back-doors too. And in professional firewalls homed
and used in companies it would be a no go in my eyes. -
@BlueKobold:
Call me paranoid, but a cheap clone 4 port NIC from china is the last thing i'd be putting into a firewall.
For cheap home based firewalls it might for some persons a good deal, but for me personally I would
be also afraid of these chinese products related to back-doors too. And in professional firewalls homed
and used in companies it would be a no go in my eyes.LOL, so you guys think that FBI back-doors are Okay, Chinese back-doors are not Okay?
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I need some opinions on which to buy. Here are my options:
i350-T4 cheap chinese knockoff for $60
or
i340-T4 USED and from what I can tell from the embossed delta chips a real intel card for $45. And, I guess specifically, are there any issues with this card on PFsense?
Which do you guys think would be a better choice? I'm wanting to order ASAP, just thought I could see if I could get come quick opinions.
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@BlueKobold:
FYI I converted to the Mellanox connectx-2, you can get them cheap these days and they only use 7w peak.
Did you got them working in 10 GB, 20 GB, or over a Switch in 40 GBit/s mode?
There are different models on the market with single port or dual port which ones you got?Single port 10Gbe - Connectx-2
Can get them for about $18-25USD plus shipping on ebay. I bought two, and it turned out one was dead - the seller refunded the cost of one of the cards. I have a Chelsio T420 dual port ($80 USD + shipping) on its way to replace the dead one.
I run it connected to a mikrotik crs226 ( http://routerboard.com/CRS226-24G-2SplusIN )
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Single port 10Gbe - Connectx-2
Ahh, ok thanks for that.
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I need some opinions on which to buy. Here are my options:
i350-T4 cheap chinese knockoff for $60
or
i340-T4 USED and from what I can tell from the embossed delta chips a real intel card for $45. And, I guess specifically, are there any issues with this card on PFsense?
Which do you guys think would be a better choice? I'm wanting to order ASAP, just thought I could see if I could get come quick opinions.
FWIW I bought one of the cheap ones on fleabay from alex_xu10 recently. Interestingly, the card I received has 'Intel' screenprinted in the same location as the 'proper' expensive DELL/HP/etc cards. Also, the card I got had 'Delta' embossed on the two main chips which is the same as the expensive cards (as opposed to 'MR-MACOM' on other versions. The picture of the cards in the auction, in contrast, don't show the Intel screenprinting, and have MR-MACOM on the two main chips.
It seems to be running great and appears fully functional, not that I have the skill/knowledge to examine or test its functionality forensically. As I've written in another thread (https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=98013.0), either the knock-offs are getting better, or someone is sourcing the genuine article out of the chinese manufacturing supply chain before the middle-men can add their markups.
By all means if cash/paranoia are not issues for you, get a top-price, new, branded i4-350 even though it's probably coming from the same factory and assembly line as at least some of the cheap cards. Or grab a second-hand server pull if cash/paranoia are concerns!
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@sos:
I need some opinions on which to buy. Here are my options:
i350-T4 cheap chinese knockoff for $60
or
i340-T4 USED and from what I can tell from the embossed delta chips a real intel card for $45. And, I guess specifically, are there any issues with this card on PFsense?
Which do you guys think would be a better choice? I'm wanting to order ASAP, just thought I could see if I could get come quick opinions.
FWIW I bought one of the cheap ones on fleabay from alex_xu10 recently. Interestingly, the card I received has 'Intel' screenprinted in the same location as the 'proper' expensive DELL/HP/etc cards. Also, the card I got had 'Delta' embossed on the two main chips which is the same as the expensive cards (as opposed to 'MR-MACOM' on other versions. The picture of the cards in the auction, in contrast, don't show the Intel screenprinting, and have MR-MACOM on the two main chips.
It seems to be running great and appears fully functional, not that I have the skill/knowledge to examine or test its functionality forensically. As I've written in another thread (https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=98013.0), either the knock-offs are getting better, or someone is sourcing the genuine article out of the chinese manufacturing supply chain before the middle-men can add their markups.
By all means if cash/paranoia are not issues for you, get a top-price, new, branded i4-350 even though it's probably coming from the same factory and assembly line as at least some of the cheap cards. Or grab a second-hand server pull if cash/paranoia are concerns!
Does your card layout look like that in the pic? The PCB layout design looks like a I340-T4 instead of a i350-T4. Are the Delta chips painted on or embossed where you can feel it with your finger.
Example of what I'm talking about. This guy says he is selling i350-T4, yet he even shows the pic on the backside to be i340-t4:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Intel-I350-T4-PCI-Express-PCI-E-Four-RJ45-Gigabit-Ports-Server-Adapter-/271791246548?hash=item3f48054cd4
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The DELTA marking on the controllers is not palpable i.e appears to be embossed rather than painted.
For simplicities sake I've attached a picture of my card in situ.
All good info! :)
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I was able to flash latest Intel firmware without any problem.
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25248/Intel-Ethernet-Connections-Boot-Utility-Preboot-images-and-EFI-Drivers
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I just ordered the i350-T4 knockoff. Wish me luck that I get a good one that works. :D
Looks like it'll be a couple of weeks delivery time, though. I'll be sure to keep you all updated with my feedback when that day comes…
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I don't need bleeding edge, but I care about quality. If I can't find reviews on it, I don't buy it. I haven't had a hardware failure in 20 years, and I've gone through quite a few computers. I don't plan to start buying cheap stuff any time soon.
Anyone want my lucky rabbit's foot? I seem to be working.
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I don't need bleeding edge, but I care about quality.
Who is not thinking so!? Spare or computer parts based on a good quality might be the
only thing that lets you sleep well with 40% - 60% of all hassle the others are working on.If I can't find reviews on it, I don't buy it.
Often the best, but sometimes and only for private usage it will be really good to test out some stuff
or experiment with those hardware. If you get these NICs and after 5 years you got not one failure
and all other things links the driver stability and support are also really nice and liquid, for a home
usage it will then more then a benefit. But if I see the prices we are talking here about (~$60) I can
also really get my hands on an original Intel Quad Port Server adapter used or refurbished, but original!I haven't had a hardware failure in 20 years, and I've gone through quite a few computers.
And this is the profit you got from this point of view, but not the only one because all the time that you was
not pressed to search for failures others get as beside effects or bypass options are the real benefit.I don't plan to start buying cheap stuff any time soon.
Surely not for the business usage at all.
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Update. My i350-T4 knockoff card just arrived within 7 days from China. Unbelievable speed considering the distance across the globe. So fast in fact, I wasn't even able to order the CPU yet for the new PFsense build, heck wasn't expecting the NIC til November! Wow! I have a new ITX 1155 MB and 8GB of ram waiting on a CPU, though.
It's funny, after I read about security in China online and from Bytecoder in this thread about hardware backdoors, I got paranoid too and was able to snag a real authentic i340-T4 on fleabay yesterday for $35 bucks. Sigh, not sure if I trust the Chinese knockoff now or not. I guess I need to test thoroughly somehow with more than just a packet sniffer.
Unfortunately, I'm still a week or two away from testing the new PF rig.
